


Survive the Hell

by onlyhereforellick



Series: Angstober '20 [7]
Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M, fictober20
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:55:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26880235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onlyhereforellick/pseuds/onlyhereforellick
Summary: Today there was an electric buzz in the air, something was off.
Relationships: Ellie Bishop/Nick Torres
Series: Angstober '20 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1952188
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	Survive the Hell

**Author's Note:**

> Fictober '20 - "Yes I did, what about it?"

The elevator dinged signaling their arrival at its final destination. Doors slowly sliding open to reveal the classic pumpkin orange walls that always felt oddly welcoming. Yet today- today there was an electric buzz in the air, something was off.

Rounding the corner to his desk, he found his answer quickly. The federal investigator in him realized two things very rapidly: first, Ellie’s desk was devoid of any personal flair and her trusty laptop; and second, the entire contents of NIck’s desk was strewn across the surrounding floor.

McGee’s eyes trailed from the discarded items, broken portrait, open case files up to Nick’s figure. Chest heaving, nostrils flaring, pupils darkened, he about looked ready to burn the place down. Cautiously, McGee skirted behind his desk and gently placed his backpack down, stealing another glance at the fuming figure beside him that had yet to explain his actions. Lowering himself into his desk chair he weighed his options—address the red-hot elephant in the room, or ignore it completely and get started on his latest paperwork before Gibbs rounded the corner shouting about a new case.

He chose the latter.

Less than fifteen minutes in and McGee’s diligent observation of patterns paid off. Gibbs briskly walked around the corner from the basement, looking dead ahead without acknowledging any eye contact. The second after he sat in his chair and immediately powered on his monitor without a word, McGee swore the air shifted.

He wasn’t commanding them to get their gear and get to the scene. He wasn’t addressing the missing agent nor the still-standing, panting agent with a mess around him. He was using technology.

Gibbs hadn’t even glanced at Bishop’s empty desk, which only meant one thing- he knew. He knew the reason she wasn’t there and clearly was not divulging that information.

He also hadn’t even spared a peek at Torres’ fight stance, which confirmed he knew whatever the hell that was about, too.

_What the heck had he missed??_

And then it dawned on him. The thing he had been avoiding, had tried so hard to ignore. The one thing he refused to spend time dwelling on because god damn, _again?!_ But looks like he couldn’t ignore any longer, it practically demanded his attention and intervention.

Pulling his phone out of his pocket and pressing the speed dial seamlessly, McGee raised the phone to his ear.

One dial tone and _click_.

McGee pulled the phone away and stared at the screen in shock, confirming he did call the right number. Redialing in no time, he waited.

Two dial tones and _click_.

She was really sending him to voicemail wasn’t she? McGee scoffed and didn’t waste a second longer before hitting call back.

This time it rang, and rang, and rang. And right before McGee was sure it would end up eventually tripping the voicemail, he heard the click of the other line answering.

He paused, she paused.

“What do you want, McGee?” stated with absolutely zero nonsense in her tone.

McGee slid his eyes over to Nick’s still unmoved form before focusing back in on Ellie’s empty desk. Answering with a question of his own, “What happened, Bishop?”

He heard the ironic bark of laughter on the other end and cringed- so it was as bad as he surmised. But apparently he wasn’t getting an answer to that question if her remaining silence was any indication.

He sighed and tried again, “Where did you go, Bishop?”

Her silence continued but the hum of an old engine spoke volumes.

When McGee didn’t offer anything past her silence, Ellie finally spoke up, “Don’t tell him.”

He didn’t need to ask who he was. McGee’s head fell as he put pieces together, “Bishop…did you really—”

She interrupted before he could voice the words aloud, “Yes I did, what about it? This is my life, McGee. And you know what? This time, I know what I’m doing. I’m not running, I’m stepping back. I deserve it. And I would hope you can understand and honor that.”

Her determination pulsed through the phone, no one was changing her mind, and frankly McGee didn’t think he needed to try. Ellie was right, and if she felt this confident in her decision, he’d be a good friend and support her. According to her, she wasn’t running. Based on her tone, he even believed that too.

His silence must have worried her though as she spoke again, but her tone pleading this time, “Really Tim, don’t tell him. I know Gibbs won’t, but I need you to promise me.” She hesitated and her voice grew smaller than he’d ever heard Eleanor Bishop be, “If he means what he said, he doesn’t deserve to know. And if didn’t mean it, well…he’s a big boy, he can figure it out himself.”

She didn’t wait for an answer as the line on the other end clicked off almost immediately after she finished her statement. McGee wasn’t even sure how he would respond.

Looking over at Nick once again, McGee knew he’d easily go down fighting to find her. _Now_ , McGee pondered, _would he survive the hell she would give him when he finally did?_


End file.
